Planning appeal decision
15 Old Watford Road, Bricket Wood, St. Albans, AL2 3RS
Planning appeal 3356431 at 15 Old Watford Road, Bricket Wood, St. Albans, AL2 3RS (St Albans City Council) was dismissed on 20 June 2025 by Inspector Walker C, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area.
the sub-division of site and use of outbuilding as two bed dwelling and car port as ancillary car parking
- Authority
- St Albans City Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Walker C
- Postcode
- AL2 3RS
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
What decided it
The demonstrably harmful effect on character and appearance caused by backland development with a large footprint in an area characterised by linear, ordered residential plots significantly and demonstrably outweighs the housing benefit of one dwelling when assessed against the Framework as a whole.
The benefits of housing delivery and sustainable location were outweighed by the significant adverse effects on character and appearance, particularly the failure to secure well-designed places as required by paragraph 11(d)(ii) of the Framework
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 5Policy 69Policy 70Policy S1Policy S3Policy S5
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision


More decisions in St Albans City Council
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Allowed9 April 2025335902067 De Tany Court, St. Albans, AL1 1TX
- Allowed7 November 20243343986Land Between Caravan Site and Watling Street, Park Street, St Albans, AL2 2PZ
- Dismissed26 January 20243323099Land to the Rear of 42-100 Tollgate Road & 42 Tollgate Road, Colney Heath, St Albans, AL4 0PY
- Dismissed26 April 2022329370012 Paxton Road, St. Albans, AL1 1PF
- Dismissed8 December 2021328165110 Robins Close, London Colney , AL2 1QT
The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.
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